Hockey Widow wrote:
I am really hoping that Calgary can hold on and win in regulation. The sooner the Division is locked up the better. It would be nice to have our last 3 games be almost meaningless. Get players like Kassian more ice time. Play around with line combos.

HW I am surprised at you, Av giving anyone more ice time when they have not "earned" it. That is heresy and will not be tolerated in a Christian society. In all seriousness AV has never shown to do this, even last season when we had the division wrapped up by Christmas he did nothing differently which is why he needs to go. We all watched the D play fire brigade so many night yet not once did someone like Edler miss a shift. Why would this season be any different?

Lancer wrote:
This may be (Wpg's) best shot in a while, because with realignment they're going to be getting a steady diet of Chicago, Detroit and St. Louis instead of Carolina, Tampa and Florida.

I don't know if Detroit is looking all that intimidating for the next few years. They are outside a playoff spot right now. Their best player is 34. They had one hell of a dominating 20 year run (helped pre-cap by a free-spending owner), but someday the balloon has to come back down to earth for a while, and I think the time might be now.

darren wrote:I don't know if Detroit is looking all that intimidating for the next few years. They are outside a playoff spot right now. Their best player is 34. They had one hell of a dominating 20 year run (helped pre-cap by a free-spending owner), but someday the balloon has to come back down to earth for a while, and I think the time might be now.

Man It seemed to take forever for that Avalanche balloon to come down back in the day. I remember the Canucks slowly... very, very slowly starting to close the gap between themselves and Colorado over the years. I remember the mid point where we could actually skate with them and catch them sleeping once in a while..... only to have Sakic or Hedjduk score seeminly at will with 5 minutes left. Finally the tables are turned.

I see that happening to Detroit right now. Although I think they are managed too well for them to fall as from from grace as the Avalanche have. Their turn around back to becoming a top competitor again is going to be a whole lot quicker than the Avalanche I believe.

Hockey Widow wrote:The 8 seeds in the East are now set, just match ups left to determine. AS of tonight Toronto would face Montreal round 1.

The NYI, NYR and Ottawa all lock up a playoff spot, Winnipeg done.

In the WESt we have three teams fighting for two spots. Each has 3 games left.

The Jets, with their injuries, aren't quite good enough. Maybe next year.

Detroit does not want to go gently into that good night, it seems.

St Louis just got a whole lot less likely (good!)... they win and vault into 4th with 58 points. LA and SJ with 57. All have one game left (LA and SJ with each other). LA has the tiebreaker over St Louis. The only way we play St Louis is if LA beats SJ in overtime/shootout, and St Louis loses their last game to Chicago in regulation. Otherwise we likely play the loser of LA/SJ (Minny is still a remote possibility if they win out and SJ loses in regulation). I'd rather play the team that was selling pieces at the deadline (SJ).

edit: and Columbus wins. Nice, as I'd to see them get in. Minnesota now has a non-trivial chance of missing the playoffs. I would sooooooo much rather see Chicago face the red hot Blue Jackets rather than the dead-on-arrival Wild.